>> too bad we had nothing to talk about today. >> so it goes, right? watch the vote. we're getting close. >> "happening now" now starts now. >> jon: so the voting is underway and the tally is expected soon, right? they are going to tally the votes. it's the vote that would clear the way for tax reform. we'll have that for you momentarily. in the meantime congressional committees are now digging deeper into the uranium one story involving hillary clinton-led state department and attempts by moscow to expand its ought tomorrow i -- -atomic interests. >> melissa: i'm melissa francis. the department of justice is clearing the way for a former informant to speak to lawmakers

about the 2010 deal that gave russians control over part of america's uranium supply. the deal struck despite evidence showing russian nuclear officials were involved in extortion, bribery and kickbacks a year earlier. they knew about it. president trump yesterday comparing the matter to another monumental scandal. white house press secretary sarah sanders this morning calling for a full review of the matter during an appearance on "america's newsroom." >> the fact that they were working with a foreign government, taking in millions of dollars through the clinton foundation, and giving over such a large percentage of that uranium while she was secretary of state. there is just a lot of things that need to be looked at here. i think a thorough review needs to take place. >> melissa: we'll pause for a second to bring you breaking news. it looks like a budget has passed in the house. you can see the tally there, still voting but it has passed

the house clearing the way for tax overhaul. this is the next big step on the way to reforming our tax code and bringing tax cuts, it appears, for a lot of people across the country. it has cleared that hurdle. in the meantime let's go to john roberts who is live on the north lawn right now. a lot of news this morning, john. how are you keeping up with it? >> it's like every day. buckle into the front seat of the rollercoaster and they shoot you out of the cannon and off you go. we get to the tax reform story in a minute. on the uranium one story and the release of that confidential informant from the gag order, sources tell me it was president trump himself who issued the order to the justice department to lift that gag order. the president wants these committees in congress that are investigating the sale of 20% of u.s. uranium resources to russia to be fully investigated

by these congressional committees. believing this confidential informant will have background as how it took place. he was an informant to the f.b.i. yesterday as he got on board the helicopter the president said he believes this is a very serious matter. >> president trump: i think the uranium sale to russia and the way it was done, so underhanded, with tremendous amounts of money being passed. i actually think that's watergate modern age. >> he was also watching closely the vote still ongoing in the house. the budget has passed. expect we'll hear from him on twitter in the next few seconds. it clears the runway for tax reform because the house adopts the senate budget bill as is. that means the next place it will end up is the president's desk. he will sign it and they get underway with tax reform.

yesterday the president beating back on an issue beginning to gain traction on some republicans. limiting tax contributions to 401ks. a prominent republican said yesterday it is still on the table. >> kevin brady said this morning it could be on the table. >> president trump: maybe it is and maybe we'll use it as negotiating. but trust me, that's one of the great things. you know, there are certain elements of deals you don't want to negotiate with. 401ks, kevin knows it and i think kevin brady is fantastic, but he knows how important 401ks are. >> the president also taking action on another issue that he talked about frequently on the campaign trail. that is the opioid epidemic in america. at 2:00 this afternoon the president will announce that he is declaring a national public health emergency on the opioid epidemic. talk about some of the steps the administration is going to

take to combat the epidemic including some efforts to reduce demand. this public health emergency it was talked about declare a national emergency. the public health emergency is more sweeping and lasts longer. it lasts for an initial period of 90 days but can be renewed repeatedly after that as long as the hhs secretary in this case the acting hhs secretary feels there is a need to continue that emergency. 2:00 this afternoon we'll hear the president talk about that. >> melissa: so much news there. i liked what you highlighted what the president said. kevin is a great guy but we're not negotiating on the 401k thing. >> he indicated in his tweet on monday morning that's a bright red line for him. >> melissa: he is like forget about it. >> jon: there are new details about that explosive dossier claiming a connection between president trump and the kremlin. a new report reveals hillary clinton's campaign and the

democrat national committee funded at least part of the research that went into the unsubstantiated documents. republicans in congress seizing on the new development saying it should be part of the russia investigations. >> if it's good to investigate russians involvement in the election process in the united states and in regard to trump, it's just as legitimate to investigate russia versus the clintons. >> joining us now jeff mason, white house correspondent for reuters and part of the white house correspondents association. in your role as a journalist this revelation that broke in the "washington post" on tuesday that the democratic national committee and the hillary clinton campaign apparently paid for some of this research that led to the russia dossier published in buzz feed in january, that has

turned this russian collusion story on its head, hasn't it? >> i'm not sure if it turns the whole russia collusion story on its head. there are different aspects to the probe that the f.b.i. special prosecutor mueller is doing as well as other congressional committees are doing but it gives republicans to turn the finger away from president trump and onto hillary clinton. that is certainly useful for them. >> jon: but hillary clinton's campaign was affiliated with this effort and denying it the entire time. >> i think it's also important to note that apparently the research was started to be paid for by a republican and they haven't revealed yet who that is. but yeah, i mean, the democrats are saying and the republican -- the democratic campaign former spokesman brian fallon was saying look, i didn't know it was happening. if i did i would have offered to go and help.

they see this as regular opposition research. and republicans, including the one that you played a clip from earlier, see this as a reason to investigate the clintons as well. >> jon: the "wall street journal" has an editorial entitled democrats, russians and the f.b.i. in that piece the editorial board writes it turns out that russia has sown distrust in the political system aided and abetted by the democratic party and perhaps the f.b.i. this is an about face from the dominant media narrative from the last year and it requires a full investigation. the public deserves a full scope and nature of the meddling in american dossier. do we know, did this surveillance of trump tower that the president has complained about, was that brought about in part by this trump dossier, the steele dossier? >> i don't know the answer to that. some people are raising that

question and using that as a reason to point again at what may have been funded or started by democrats on this entire probe. this has become a very political issue. you've got democrats believing largely that the election may have been stolen in part because of russian meddling. you've got republicans now saying this all may have started or at least been partially started because of something that was funded by democrats. it has become very political. the overarching issue that people shouldn't forget is that u.s. intelligence agencies have concluded that russia meddled in the 2016 election. different aspects of that and a different piece that has been brought in. that conclusion was drawn by u.s. intelligence agencies and that's the reason those probes are happening. >> jon: the "wall street journal" editorial went on to

suggest that robert mueller's investigation should include the f.b.i., the agency that he until recently ran. and it urges him to go ahead and resign. is there any talk of that in washington or on capitol hill? >> you know, this is fairly recent. i don't know there is any talk of him resigning. robert mueller is somebody who has been respected by both sides, republicans and democrats. obviously there are many republicans, including people here in the white house who aren't happy about that probe and would like for that whole thing to stop, which might be sparked if mueller were to decide to resign. but i don't foresee that happening any time soon. >> jon: that report just broke on tuesday as i mentioned in the "washington post". that might not -- that news may not include the polling period for this next item but president trump's approval ratings are hitting a new low as a fox news poll shows 38% of americans approve of his performance in office.

that's a drop of 4 percentage points since september. fair to say the president has been the subject of a barrage of negative news stories, jeff? >> you know what? every president faces negative news. i think the president also generates a lot of his own news via twitter. in the same poll you're sighting a lot of people are unhappy with his use of twitter but again that's something that is a core to who president trump is. he sees that as a way to communicate directly with americans, directly with his base and i think poll numbers showing he is perhaps less popular or that people don't like his twitter usage won't affect the way he decides to continue to communicate. >> jon: he put a five word tweet. big news, the budget just passed. i didn't want to add a word there. he is happy about that in the house of representatives. jeff mason from reuters. thanks very much.

>> melissa: a shocking scene at a restaurant when a car comes crashing through the wall. whoa, at the height of the lunch rush. what happened to the diners inside? taking aim at the media. what the president had to say about the coverage he has been receiving and how he says he is being portrayed. >> president trump: a lot of bad things are being reported that aren't true. i think to a certain extent maybe i can blame the media, but politics is a rough business, there is no question about it. hello, i'm an idaho potato farmer.

you've probably seen me running all over the country in search of our big idaho potato truck. but not any more. i am done with that. ooh, ooh hot - just gonna stay home on the farm, eat a beautiful idaho potato, and watch tv with my dog... tv anncr: the big idaho potato truck pulled into town today and it's really a sight to see. oh man...let's go.... (distant) you comin', boy? sfx: (dog) gulp! woof. >> jon: right now a restaurant in maryland has a big rebuilding job on its hands after a car comes crashing through during the height of the lunch time rush. about 30 people were inside the top of the hill restaurant with some having to dive out of the car's path as it plowed through the building's exterior wall.

nine people suffered injuries, two said to be seriously hurt. no word, though, on what caused this accident. >> melissa: breaking right now the president's strained relationship with the media president trump going after the trump again this time saying journalists paint an inaccurate picture of him. >> president trump: i think the press makes me more uncivil than i am. people don't understand. i went to an ivy league college, i was a nice student, i did very well. i'm a very intelligent person. i -- the fact is i really believe, i think the press creates a different image of donald trump than the real person. >> melissa: joining us now is fox news media analyst and host of media buzz. you know, he says those things and in just scrolling through the headlines this morning msnbc saying the trump administration, the team are

not human beings. i don't know. what do you think about his impression of how the press paints him? >> well, there is no question that some commentators are way over the top and brutally personal in the way they describe this president. overall i think president trump has a stronger case in saying the media are unfair or biased or sometimes inaccurate than saying that we are collectively to blame for making him appear uncivil. he is referring to one of his senate critics as little bob corker. he goes after politicians. the president is often counter punching. that's his signature style. you hit him, he hits you back. on this particular point the way he uses his twitter at he can't -- >> melissa: you did hear president carter say that it is amazing the press feels free to

make comments about the sitting president's mental health. >> jimmy carter, who got plenty of bad press when he was in the white house, was very candid observation he made to the "new york times." he has never seen a president get such negative coverage. i'm not saying the press is not partially responsible with its unprecedented barrage for some of the president's political difficulties. i'm pointing out that he picks some fights himself. he plays rough. politics is a rough business as he said in the clip you showed before the break. >> melissa: he feels free saying things we've never heard a sitting president say before. it definitely goes both ways with that question. now to the media coverage of senator corker and flake's decision not to run and how the president factored into all of it. you have written a piece, fabulous piece, by the way, titled "media hailing flake and corker." new narrative is trump with them. >> when jeff flake gave the speech and corker calling trump

a liar and all of that, the journalists loved it and painted these two men as courageous truth tellers and heroes because it validates the media's pundits have been saying. these are members of the president's own party. in the couple of days since then, melissa, the narrative has turned on the left as well as the right and now what the criticism of corker and flake is well, if you feel so passionately about the president's shortcomings and where the republican party should be headed stay and fight. why do you say these things announcing you are going home. that's not actually that courageous. >> melissa: there was a headline that emphasized all the republicans left now are trump republicans. trump shapes the gop. it went from look at this my goodness he is driving even his own party members to such

distraction that they're quitting and leaving to wait a second, maybe there is a method to this madness and getting his enemies to pack up and go home and the people that are left behind are on his team and all of a sudden he is stronger than ever. >> there is an effort by some of the president's allies, notably steve bannon, to either primary some of the members of congress, republicans who aren't -- or drive them into retirement and replace them with more populist trump-friendly candidates. you could say the president is winning reshaping the republican party. some of the people opposing him are saying i don't want to run again and do this. the narrative has turned and it is a fair point. >> melissa: he is winning in that sense unless those people that leave are replaced by democrats or replaced by republicans who also won't work with him. so it is still yet to be seen

how successful this strategy ultimately is but we may look back on it and say wow, this was a genius move. howard kurtz always a genius, thank you for coming on. >> jon: one of president trump's biggest campaign promises is taking shape. eight border wall designs ready for inspection and approval. which one might government officials sign off on? decades of speculation could be put to rest as classified files on jfk's assassination about the be released. will they bring answers for fuel more conspiracy theories? >> those who are expecting to see a bombshell about the assassination are likely to be very disappointed. freedom. one nation in all of human history was built on that bedrock, ours. freedom has made america exceptional,

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>> jon: the house of representatives we've told you just voted to approve the senate's budget bill. 216-212. a very close vote. barely passed the house. but they also passed a new round of iran sanctions and this one was a resounding vote 423-2. now, this does not repeal or does not pull out of the iran nuclear deal, but it does express the house's desires to impose new sanctions on iran. we'll keep you updated. >> melissa: this is a fox news alert as we could be on the verge of learning new information about one of the most tragic days in our country's history. thousands of pages of classified documents from the jfk assassination are set to be released today including

documents from both the c.i.a. and the f.b.i. gerald posner, of closed case, lee harvey oswald and the assassination of jfk saying earlier that the time is right to reveal these hidden files. >> i think that we may see every document and every word. the reason i say that is the c.i.a. and the state department and the f.b.i. have done what they've done before for 54 years. made a case to the president or they are trying to say some of this material is still confidential because it has names of informants who helped american intelligence years ago and embarrassing if it comes out. donald trump may be the one president that will say it's important but the right of the public to know overrides that. i think he will release these files and they should be out. for years we should have seen them. we have a right to know what happened in the death of this president. >> melissa: the documents could also shed light on a mysterious visit that oswald is said to have made to mexico city weeks before the assassination.

>> jon: well, those eight 30-foot walls are in place ready to be replicated for the southern border once officials say which is the best and congress comes up with the money. experts are weighing in on making those walls secure. >> one lesson we've learned over time here is that when you put up physical barriers or fencing the areas where you don't have fencing instantly become the vulnerability. >> jon: we are live from the u.s./mexico border keeping an eye on construction. william. >> jon, in many ways what this is about is buying time. just over this piece of metal is mexico. right now an illegal immigrant can cross that fence and cut a hole in the secondary fence in less than 10 minutes. in arizona places less than two minutes. the wall is about deterring

most immigrants or making it so difficult, so time consuming they will easily be apprehended. >> under, through or over is what we'll look at. how effective are they going to be? >> most of what little secondary fence the u.s. has is 18 feet tall. compare it to the prototypes 30 feet tall. how do you get a hook around that? >> 32 years of being a border patrol agent in san diego, texas and arizona. every place where we've erected tactical infratruck shuns apprehensions have gone down. >> agents can see through this. the water can pass under it. good for canyons in arizona. but can the smugglers use a hydraulic jack and pop these out? >> with my experience in san diego the entire 60 miles is a requirement. >> every prototype is 30 feet tall. let's say you scale it.

falling 30 feet will hurt. >> there isn't anything we have on the southwest border that is at this 30-foot size. >> as you know, the u.s./mexico border is 2,000 miles long. 350 miles has a pedestrian fence like this and only 46 miles has the double fencing like you see here. so many argue the border security needs an upgrade. the question is, is the wall the answer? we have a news conference coming up in 90 minutes and we'll try to find out. >> jon: when do we get a decision, do we know? >> they will test these things for 30 to 60 days and then they are going to probably incorporate some of those designs, some characteristics and decide where it will go. it's not a 2,000 mile wall. it will probably be budgetary wise will determine that. probably maybe 50 miles, some levy in texas, some wall in california and arizona. back to you. >> jon: william, thank you.

>> melissa: what could be a crucial piece of evidence in the las vegas concert massacre may be missing. what is it? and what could have happened to it? plus we're live on capitol hill where the house just approved the budget framework for tax reform but the tax cut plan may turn into a tough sell. we'll go in depth. >> president trump: we're really unified on what we want to do. we want tax cuts for the middle class. we want tax cuts for businesses to produce jobs. there is great unity. i don't know why i didn't get screened a long time ago.

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>> jon: a fox news alert. the house just passed the senate's tax reform vote. it was very close. paul ryan voted, which is rare for the speaker. let's listen at his weekly news conference. >> we've been living under a broken system where they see too little of their dollars. they spend dollars just doing their taxes. so much time and money is wasted just complying with this incredibly complicated tax code. only to be rewarded by having a big chunk of their income taken and claimed by the government. it's unsustainable. people really are struggling in this country. so many people are living paycheck to paycheck. families deserve a break. single moms who live paycheck to paycheck deserve a break. parents working to send their kids to college deserve a break. the guy who got a job a couple months ago unemployed for many months deserves a break.

that's what this tax plan is all about. our tax reform plan invests in these people, in real people because we really believe that families know how to invest their dollars better than the federal government. we believe that families need a break. tax reform will help reignite the american dream. it will help bring us back to a place of confidence, freedom, happiness, a stronger, healthier economy, and this budget that the house just passed 20 minutes ago brings us closer to making that dream a reality. >> mr. speaker, appreciate -- [inaudible question]

>> is this an effort to distract? what is your sense of the endgame and strong words for the f.b.i. earlier in the week about subpoenas related to the dossier issue. what are you willing to do if the f.b.i. doesn't? >> the point of the investigations is to find the truth. if laws were violated or mistakes made they aren't made again and transparency is what gets you that. it is our job under article 1 in the constitution to conduct full and thorough oversight over the executive branch. that's a really important responsibility for congress. this is why we're so frustrated to have learned through the media aspects about this investigation that we've been asking for documents from the f.b.i. for months. and so since yesterday morning the f.b.i. got in touch with us yesterday afternoon and they have informed us that they will comply with our document requests and that they will

provide the documents congress has been asking for by next week and we expect the f.b.i. to honor that commitment. >> on tax reform. you passed the final version of the budget but more of your members voted against this version than voted against the initial version that passed the house. many of them -- [inaudible] what are you doing to insure that you get -- [inaudible] >> look at the step we took today. a big step toward getting tax cuts for middle class families over the line into law. done. that's what -- are you okay? so this budget that we just passed, that is really important for getting tax reform done. the ways and means committee will be putting out the specific plan very shortly and they are going to work with all of our members to look at and consider and address their concerns. i believe the ways and means committee will be working with

these members in particular to find a solution. >> [inaudible question] can you guarantee it will cut middle class taxes? >> the entire purpose of this tax bill is to cut middle class taxes. i'll leave it up to kevin brady and the ways and means committee to tell you the details. they're writing the tax bill. i would have to refer you to the committee if you have any questions. i didn't want leadership doing my job so i'll defer you to them. >> an principle do you agree with the president that 401k shouldn't be touched? >> i agree giving the ways and means committee the latitude they need. we're trying to achieve giving people a break on their taxes making it easier for people to plan and save for the future. that's the whole purpose of this. many different ways of accomplishing that. the ways and means committee is

working on that. >> immigration. can you clarify what you're being told regarding -- >> i was leaked indirectly. no decision has been made about the timing and nature of daca. there is this ongoing conversation. correct, or how a vote would be structured. they're onoging conversations about the various possibilities and how to address the situation. we're working on a daca solution. no secret there. we're working on a daca solution. i'll say it again. we want to work on a daca solution that we don't have a daca problem 5 or 10 years down the road. we have to address border security and interior enforcement as part of that. how and when we're doing that is a conversation we're having. selective incorrect leaks aren't a way to convey that message. we're talking with our members about all different kinds of

solutions. >> [inaudible question] >> great economist. >> [inaudible question] >> i think without going deep into the modeling i think having a closed economy model that disrespects or disregards mobile capital flows doesn't make a lot of sense. so i think there are some model flaws. i think larry and alan. the ak model was a model i used to work on when i was younger, the gg model is their current one. they put holes in the cc model. the basic is they put a bunch

of assumptions in their model and made up a bunch of things to come up with a conclusion that seemed to me overly partisan when those aren't the decisions that were made. that's my fault with the tpc model. [inaudible question] >> here is what i think about all this. jeff flake is a good friend of mine and i think the world of jeff flake and i wish him the best of luck into the future. i think i put a statement out that reflected that. he is a very good man who he helped us with ear mark bands, a voice of fiscal restraint in the house. but i don't think the american people care about that. you know what the american people want to see us do?

solve their problems. i don't think the american people want to see us up here yelling at each other. they want to see us fighting for them. the american people want results. that's what we're focused on. i honestly believe the more unified we are in pursuing solutions that solve the american people's problems, that's what the people who sent us here to do and what they expect. we work for the people who elect us. those are our employers. and so if we're calling each other names or calling each other out or saying things against each other, what does that do to help a working mom get ahead? what does that do to help a veteran get the healthcare he deserves? what does it do to help rebuild our military so we're the strongest military in the world? what does that do to advance tax reform which will give us faster economic growth and bigger paychecks? nothing. that's why we need to stay focused on solving people's problems and being concerned about their issues and moving

the agenda forward. somebody tell him about the rules later. >> [inaudible question] >> he will be in asia, number one. kidding. that was kind of a joke. i was joking on that one. no, i'm not. we're working very closely with the white house on this. as you know with the big six we work very hard on the parameters and design decisions what goes into this. the tax writers are working on the actual granular details on how to make this framework work and we're working closely with the white house so there will

be no surprises from our partners in the white house or in the senate when we do this. thanks a lot, everybody. appreciate it. >> jon: all right. so speaker of the house paul ryan fresh off a vote to approve the senate budget that hit the house of representatives. pretty rare according to our capitol hill producer for the speaker to vote. speaker paul ryan felt strongly about this one. it was a squeaker, 216-212. there were 20 republicans who voted against it. they could only afford republicans could only afford to lose 22 members of their party. they squeaked by. it lays the ground work, the runway as they are describing it for the house to now take up tax reform legislation which is near and dear to the heart of the president and most of the republicans on capitol hill. that effort is going to start. the bill will be unveiled november 1st according to kevin brady of the ways and means committee and the mark-up will

begin november 6th. big doings on capitol hill today. we'll be back with more in just a moment.

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>> jon: a fox news alert from capitol hill where the house as we mentioned just voted to pass the senate's budget framework for tax reform. a key issue for president trump. let's dive into some of the possibilities with isaac wright. principle pro-clinton super pack in 2016. and lawrence jones is here and host of the lawrence jones show. isaac, there are some observers who have said this effort at reforming the nation's tax system is going the prove so unpopular that democrats will win back the house in 2018. do you think that's actually going to happen? >> we have to see. we'll see the plan on november 1st. supposedly. we've seen the analysis, the bipartisan analysis that says

initially it will send 50% of the benefits of the tax cuts to the top 1%. 10 years it will shift it to 80% of the benefit of the tax cuts to the top 1%. middle class can expect to get about 8% of the benefits of the plan as they've laid it out thus far. we'll see if that's what the bill says. we'll make some decisions as a country about our character and about where our priorities are. $500 billion of seniors off medicare to pay for the tax cut for the wealthy. we're throwing $1 trillion worth of healthcare through medicaid for the orphan, widow, sick and poor. these will be character questions we'll answer as a nation. >> jon: lawrence, there you go. it is often described as a tax cut for the wealthy by democrats. is it? >> no, and those were excellent talking points to scare americans but the reality of it is democrats were honest they'd say it is tax cuts for everybody. that's exactly what this plan

does. decrease the corporate tax rate, that's going to be beneficial to small businesses and job creators. we need more people employed after obamacare crushed a lot of business. this is a way to put people back to work and americans to keep more of their money. >> jon: if that proves to be the case, isaac, is the supposition that democrats will romp in the 2018 elections, does that go skating on very thin ice? >> let's see what's in the bill. they talking points don't match what the republicans on the hill have said they'll do. we don't know for sure. they've negotiated it in secret and haven't made it public. so we can see on november 1st. paul ryan admit ted himself they negotiated us in secret and we'll see if it matches their rhetoric or lawrence's instead. >> jon: how confident are you?

>> i'm not confident at all it will get passed. i want it to get passed. if we continue to have senators like corker and flake in the senate that want to object to everything that the president is proposing. we won't get anything done. there has been over 200 bills passed by the house that have essentially died in the senate. so this is going to be a reality check for the senate. are you going to do what you promised the american people? if not the mid-terms will be very difficult since you guys already failed on healthcare. >> jon: fascinating times for the republican party and really the whole country. lawrence jones, isaac wright. thank you both. >> melissa: the nuclear showdown with north korea taking an ominous turn. up next why lawmakers on capitol hill are voicing their concerns as the crisis escalates.

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>> melissa: a potentially dangerous development in the nuclear showdown with north korea. amid reports that pyongyang is rejecting diplomacy in response to president trump's recent fiery rhetoric. gordon chang is the author of the book nuclear showdown, north korea takes on the world. thank you for joining us. it looks like diplomacy may be on its last legs but it may be by design. what do you mean? >> president trump wants to intimidate the chinese and north koreans. there is diplomacy belined the scenes with the chinese, egyptians about north korea and the japanese and south koreans, the president will go to asia, intensive diplomacy. we are trying to cut off the

money to north korea. premature to talk to the north koreans now. we should do it when they realize they have no choice but to disarm. >> melissa: we hear the treasury has announced new targeted sanctions against north korea. trans national criminal organization -- just new sanctions against north korea at this time treasury announcing that. that turns up the pressure even more. >> it does. it's the right way to go. president trump since the first months in office has been going around the world cutting off the flow of money to north korea because if kim jong-un doesn't have money, he can't build nukes or missiles. it is critical to maintenance of his rule. >> melissa: you wonder how one man can hold an entire nation hostage and a gun to everyone's

head at the same time. a lot of us as you've told us on the show is about those gifts and that money that he gets and in order to buy their allegiance. senator chris murphy says he wants legislation that would require congressional approval for a preemptive strike. does that make sense? >> no, it doesn't. the right of preemption, the right to eliminate an imminent threat is recognized around the world. i think senator murphy is talking about a preventive strike but not what he has written in his tweets. it is taking out the capability of an enemy to strike you sometime distant in the future. that is controversial. but a preemptive strike i think senator murphy's staff needs to go back to school on that one. that's a critical distinction. >> melissa: absolutely. all right. thank you for your time. we appreciate it, sir. >> jon: a dire prediction for the gop from hillary clinton. why she says the party is

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>> that was fun. thanks for joining us. >> "outnumbered" starts right now. >> sandra: fox news alert, a big win for the white house and republicans. house lawmakers approving the budget, paving the way for the party to past tax reform. it was very close, 216-212 with 2 republicans voting no. house speaker paul ryan saying moments ago this bill will ultimately reignite the american dream. we will have much more on this later in the hour. and breaking developments as they happen. fox news alert, an fbi informant under a gag order is cleared by the justice department to tell lawmakers what he knows. now they can ask him about any russian efforts to win favor with the clintons while trying to get approval from the obama